Ready
by Gmariam
Summary: Ron decides to leave the Ministry, and the reasons catch Hermione by surprise.


Author's Notes:**  
**This story is written in a dialogue-only format. If you are not a fan of that style, please feel free to read another story on my author's page. But you might want to give it a chance: it's fun to try and hear it in your head, and it's short. :)

* * *

**Ready**

"Hermione, I've been thinking."

"Is that why you've been eating so much lately?"

"Maybe. I don't know. I'm just hungry. Anyway—I've been thinking about something."

"More eggs and bacon?"

"No. Hermione, I'm serious."

"I'm sorry, Ron. It's just that I so rarely get to tease you about anything remotely profound."

"If you don't want to know my profound thoughts, then I can certainly keep them to myself."

"Oh, Ron. Go ahead. What's on your mind?"

"Us."

"Again? Ron, we've had this conversation six times already."

"I know, but I've figured things out now."

"You have?"

"Yes."

"I didn't realize there was anything left to figure out. Would you like more juice?"

"Yes, please. Coffee?"

"Thank you."

"So don't you want to know what I figured out?"

"Please enlighten me."

"Not if you keep making fun, I won't. I've got _some_dignity, after all."

"I'm sorry, Ron. What have you been thinking about so profoundly that your appetite has quadrupled and you're sleeping ten hours a night?"

"That has nothing to do with it. Work is driving me into the mud."

"It's driving you into the ground, not the mud. And I know—I'm sorry. I shouldn't be giving you such a difficult time. You have been working hard."

"And that's the first thing I want to talk about. My job."

"What about it?"

"Hermione, I want to quit."

"What? Quit the Ministry? Leave the Auror office? But Ron, I thought it was what you wanted to do since we sat O.W.L.s! Why would you leave now?"

"Because like you said, it's driving me into the ground. I'm _always _working. I'm tired of chasing the bad guys all the time."

"There can't possibly be _that _many left, can there?"

"There's always something for an Auror, Hermione—even if it's just the bloody paperwork! Merlin, the paperwork!"

"I know. It seems to be the nature of bureaucracy to consume vast amounts of paper for no reason whatsoever."

"If you say so. The point is, I want to leave. I want to move on. This is not what I'm supposed to be doing for the rest of my life."

"How can you say that, Ron? You're good at it! You've got more experience than just about anyone there. They need you."

"They've got Harry. They don't need me any more."

"Have you talked to him about this?"

"No, I wanted to talk to you first. It affects you more than him. He can spend the rest of _his_ life cleaning up Death Eater leftovers if he wants to, but I'm ready to start _my _life now."

"Ron! Harry works harder than anyone. If he wasn't there imagine all the—"

"—all the Dark Lords with pet snakes rising to power again? I'm sorry, Hermione. I'm not having a go at Harry, really. But you have to admit, it's bordering on obsession."

"It's not obsession, it's dedication. He's—"

"—always working, even more than me. When was the last time we really spent time with him?"

"Well…oh, fine. Maybe you're right. Sometimes I do worry he's working himself to a complete collapse. But how could you leave him now? That might push him over the edge."

"Or it might snap him out of it. We can't be partners forever. We need to have our own lives as well."

"Ron, I'm impressed. I didn't think either of you would ever come to that conclusion. Who have you been talking to?"

"No one."

"Come on, who?"

"What, I can't figure things out on my own?"

"Of course you can. So who did you talk to?"

"All right—George. He knows something about moving on, you know."

"Yes, he does. I think I admire him more than anyone else who fought that day—even Harry, sometimes."

"I do too. Could you pass the kippers?"

"Here. I don't know how you can stand them. So what did George have to say?"

"He pointed out exactly what I just told you. And given that he's living proof of it, I'd say he's a decent source of advice when it comes to moving on."

"There's more. What else did he say?"

"Well…to be honest, he suggested I work at the shop with him."

"At Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes? You're joking!"

"I'm not. I could do it. I _want _to do it."

"But…but Ron, you've never worked in a shop before! You've never created any sort of magical joke products. You've never even pulled a prank on your own! Why would you want to do such a thing?"

"Why not?"

"Tell me why or I'll toss the treacle tart I made for tonight."

"Fine. Just don't do that, it's better than at Hogwarts. Working at the shop sounds like fun, for one."

"And?"

"And it sounds stable. Safe. With a lot less paperwork."

"And?"

"That's it! Hermione, why are you giving me such a hard time? I thought you'd be happy that I wanted to do something different, something that doesn't keep me out at all hours of the day and night. You're always complaining that you never know if and when I'll turn up dead!"

"So you're quitting the Auror office for me? Really, Ron, that's completely mental."

"What's so mad about wanting to do something different with my life than chase Death Eaters? I could be brilliant at it, for all you know."

"I'm sure you'll be good at it, Ron. It just seems so sudden."

"You said yourself we've already talked about it six times."

"We talked about _us _six times, not your job."

"I'm getting to that, if you'll stop interrupting me."

"You mean, what quitting your job to work in a joke shop has to do with us?"

"Yes! Hermione, you're making this so difficult."

"I'm sorry, I just don't understand how you could think of that as something for us and not just you."

"Well, I love you."

"I love you too, Ron, but I still don't see the point."

"I want to make you happy. I want to buy a house, get married, and have kids."

"What?"

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to grow old with you."

"Ron, what are you—"

"And I can only do those things if I'm settled—if I've got a good, stable job that doesn't include running around saving the world every other week."

"So that's why you're leaving the Ministry—for me?"

"For us. For our future."

"Okay, then. If you're sure that's what you want."

"That's all you're going to say?"

"It's your decision, Ron. You've obviously thought about it and have your reasons. I'll support you in whatever you decide."

"There's more."

"What, you've decided to backpack across Europe before settling down into your pranking paradise?"

"What? Why would I do that?"

"Never mind. It's a Muggle thing. What else is there?"

"Well, I'm ready now."

"Ready to quit your job?"

"Yes, but that's not what I meant. Bollocks, Hermione, this is hard. Come on, let's go for a walk."

"Go where? I'm not finished with my breakfast!"

"Get some coffee to go. I don't want to do it here."

"Do what? Ron, you are acting exceptionally odd today. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine. You're the one making everything so difficult."

"I'm not doing anything, Ron. And what's so hard? You've already told me about the Ministry and the shop. What else is going on?"

"Nothing. Everything. Bloody hell–I'm trying to propose!"

"You're what?"

"Hermione, I'm leaving the Ministry because I'm ready. I'm ready to get married. I want to get married. To you."

"To me?"

"We've talked about it, haven't we? Only it never felt like the right time. Now it does. This is what I need to do. This is my future."

"Ron…I don't know what to say."

"Say yes, of course."

"But…but…"

"But what? Did you want the ring now? Because I've been carrying it in my pocket for weeks, waiting to bring it up. Here. Now will you marry me?"

"Ron, it's beautiful!"

"It was your great-grandmother's. I had it reset in Diagon Alley."

"How in the world did you get my great-grandmother's stone?"

"I talked to your parents, of course. Told them what I was thinking. Your mother broke down in tears. I thought she didn't want me for a son-in-law, but then she offered us the ring so I figured she was okay with it."

"Ron, I'm stunned. I'm speechless. I'm—"

"—accepting?"

"Of course! I accept. It's…oh, Ron, I can't believe it!"

"Always the tone of surprise. Don't you feel bad now for making fun of my eating and sleeping habits?"

"Well, maybe a bit."

"You're stuck with them, you know."

"I know. That's okay. I'm glad."

"Me too. I do love your treacle tart."

"Actually, I buy them from a witch at the Ministry. I've never made one in my life."

"Then I suppose the wedding is off."

"Ron!"

"I'm kidding. Come on, let's go tell someone."

"Who should we tell first?"

"Well, your parents know and mine sort of badgered it out of me, so let's go tell Harry. I can't wait to see the look on his face. Then maybe we can do some shopping, get started planning…what?"

"Ron Weasley, I do love you."

"I know."

"That was a beautiful proposal."

"I'm glad it worked. Can we still have that treacle tart tonight?"

"I think I'm ready to bake one myself, just for you."

"I love you too, Hermione."

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End Notes:

This story was written for my friend WeasleyMom/Lori on the occasion of her birthday. It has nothing to do with my other R/H story, obviously. Just another possible look at how they get engaged. Hope you enjoyed it!


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